Electromagnetic motors are well known in the prior art, but most types of motors are relatively inefficient and require provisions for removal of heat. Heat is produced by electrical resistance and sliding contact of slip rings, brushes, and commutators that transmit power between fixed and rotating structures in electric motors and generators. Furthermore, sliding contact restricts the lower limit of contact resistance, and asperities of contacts cause high frequency resistance fluctuations that generate electrical noise. The conduction of even moderate currents through sliding contacts repeatedly welds and breaks the contacts, causing a continual rearrangement of conducting material. As a result, contact surfaces become rougher with continued use. Brushes, which have a relatively small contact surface area, generally wear out faster than rings. These characteristics of resistive heating, contact welding, and short lifetime of motor parts make conventional electric motors unsatisfactory in some applications and environments.
The limitations of electric motors in environments such as outer space has led to the investigation of alternative types of transducers, actuators, and motors. Piezoelectric devices, for example, have advantages of weight and efficiency that are important considerations for applications in space. However, known piezoelectric motors and actuators require high frequency AC power and are not capable of high speed operation. Thus, there is a need for a high speed, high efficiency, direct current motor for performing work in severe environments and remote locations.